California

Reductions in Vehicle Miles Traveled a Slow, Difficult Process

Two representatives of a committee charged with implementing reductions in VMT to meet California's SB 375 goals discuss the challenges.

June 7, 2009 - The Planning Report

Biden Plugs CA High-Speed Rail For Funding

Notwithstanding a $24.3 billion state budget deficit, CA is well-positioned to receive at least 10% of the Recovery Act funding for high speed rail, says Biden. Two corridors in southern and northern CA have been identified for funding.

June 7, 2009 - Los Angeles Times Blog

Roadmap for a Sustainable Car Industry

John DeCicco, senior fellow for automotive strategies at the Environmental Defense Fund, and author of the Green Book--a rating system for the environmental impact of cars--talks about the regulatory reforms necessary for the car industry.

June 6, 2009 - VerdeXchange News

Friday Funny: Puppets Impede Public Process

There was much ado at a recent L.A. City Council meeting when a group opposing a new 7-story development was allowed to speak after the project had been approved. It also appears the public speakers were cut short by a puppet show.

June 5, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

L.A.'s Neighborhoods Defined and Mapped

After months of input on boundaries from readers, the Los Angeles Times has released its map of neighborhoods in the city.

June 4, 2009 - Los Angeles Times

Finding the Silver Lining in California's Drought

Water Lawyer Michael George details the causes and effects of the current California drought, and sees hope that pinched water supplies may drive innovation and collaboration in building sustainable water systems in the West.

June 4, 2009 - The Planning Report

California Budget Crisis Derails Open Space Acquisition

With a budget proposal that threatens to close 80 percent of California state parks on the table, Joe Edmiston, executive director of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, explains how the state's budget crisis left the SMMC "dead in the water."

June 3, 2009 - The Planning Report

The BMP Map Really Sucks?

Los Angeles released the first piece of its Bike Master Plan and received a variety of reactions.

June 3, 2009 - la.streetsblog.org

Struggling LA MOCA Lays Off Its Curator of Architecture and Design

LA’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) announced on May 19 that it was laying off Brooke Hodge, its curator of architecture and design.

June 2, 2009 - The Architect's Newspaper

220 California Parks to be Terminated?

With California facing a $24.3 billion deficit, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has released a budget that eliminates $70 million in funding for the state's parks system.

June 2, 2009 - Yahoo! News

Preserving A Modernist Hotel in LA

A debate over preserving the Century Plaza Hotel in Century City is a question of not just a building, but the historic preservation of an entire model of planning, says Christopher Hawthorne.

June 1, 2009 - The Los Angeles Times

California Housing Market Looking Rosier

The median home price in California notched up 1.4% in April from the previous month, prompting some to announce the market has bottomed out and is recovering.

May 29, 2009 - The Wall St. Journal

California Cities Object To Greenhouse Gas Law

California's SB 375 attempts to require cities to develop in a way that reduces greenhouse gas emissions. But some cities say the new law is misguided, and the state should focus on zero-emission vehicles instead.

May 29, 2009 - California Planning & Development Report

Class Project Gains Legs

A proposal authored by Stanford students for a class to create a pedestrian-only zone near campus has gotten the attention of business owners and the community.

May 28, 2009 - Streetsblog

Follow the Money: Funding High-Speed Rail

California's proposed high-speed rail line is to be funded by a patchwork of federal, state, and local funding mechanisms. Reporter Dierdre Newman sorts through the morass.

May 28, 2009 - spot.us

Urban Advocates Find New, Public Home

The San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) has opened new offices with the goal of interacting more with the public and creating an 'urban center'.

May 28, 2009 - The Architect's Newspaper

Fewer Shoppers Driving into Downtown

Only 17% of shoppers in downtown San Francisco drove to get there, according to a new survey conducted by The San Francisco County Transportation Authority.

May 27, 2009 - Streetsblog SF

Downtown Plan Showing Wear

A battle over the height of a proposed skyscraper in San Francisco emphasizes the need for an update to the city's 25-yr old plan, says critic John King.

May 27, 2009 - San Francisco Chronicle

Innovation Comes to the Greenhouse

Two brand new, high-tech greenhouses are rising in Camarillo, CA, with the promise of growing 20 times more tomatoes than conventional farming. They'll also be the first greenhouses to be completely carbon-neutral.

May 23, 2009 - The Los Angeles Times

Orange County's Great Park Crawls Forward

This post from Governing looks at the long planning process of the Orange County Great Park, a 1,347 acre public park that's been in the works for 7 years. Comprehensive design plans were recently approved and construction is set to begin.

May 23, 2009 - Governing

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.